Lupercalia: A Valentine's Day Adventure
by Rowena Zahnrei
Summary: Rome, 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius I has just abolished the ancient festival of Lupercalia, supplanting it with the Christian feast of St. Valentine. Now, a monster haunts Palatine Hill. Is it a curse from Rome's abandoned gods? Dr10 and Rose investigate. DONE!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own _Doctor Who_. Please don't sue me or steal my story!

NOTE: Hi! I know there's still a week until Valentine's Day, but I've been struck with inspiration! Also, I don't have much time to write, so I figured it'd probably be best to start early if I'm to have any hope of finishing this by the 14th. Don't know if I'll make it, but I'll do my best!

NOTE II: While this story was inspired by actual historical events, the plot itself is made up and so are the characters Lollia Valeria and Gaius Asinius Marius. I was planning to include reference citations to separate out which bits are true and which bits I made up, but I think that this time it'll be more fun if I just sit back and let the Doctor explain! Any and all comments, critiques, questions, observations, and opinions are more than welcome, and I hope you enjoy my story!

**LUPERCALIA**

**A Valentine's Day Adventure**

**By Rowena**

"Do you think we're far enough away?" Lollia giggled, leaning against the side of the cave entrance as she struggled to catch her breath. Gaius glanced over his shoulder to where the lights of the ancient city burned brightly in the distance.

"I think so," the young man grinned, reaching out to give her hand a squeeze. "No one would think to look for us out here. In fact, I doubt anyone will even realize we've left the party."

"No," Lollia agreed, flushing slightly. "Not when there's so much free food and drink to keep them occupied. I can't help worrying, though. If your father should find out…"

"Forget my father," Gaius said, stepping in close to brush a stray curl from her cheek. "None of that matters tonight. Not my father's party or your father's debts—nothing. Tonight, there's just you and me and the stars above our heads."

Lollia smiled and closed her eyes, pressing her lips to his. "I do love you, Gaius," she said, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck as he pulled her close. She snuggled her face into his shoulder, his warmth shielding her from the chill of the mid-February evening. "I only wish we could proclaim our engagement openly. All this sneaking around…it makes me feel so…"

"I know," Gaius sighed, pressing a kiss against her hair. "I hate it too. But what can we do? Your father signed a contract with my father pledging to deliver two shiploads of Egyptian grain by the end of January, and the grain never arrived."

"The ships were sunk by pirates!" Lollia protested. "Your father knows that!"

"Yes, and so does all of Rome," Gaius agreed. "But pirates or not, the fact remains your father's debt was never paid, leaving him with a shattered reputation and you without a dowry. And my father will never allow his son to marry a dowerless girl. You know how he is. It's a matter of honor."

"Then what are you doing here?" Lollia sniffed, pulling away from his embrace. "Why waste your time with me when you could be back at that party, surrounded by girls whose parents are still rich?"

Gaius rolled his eyes. "Oh, Lollia, don't be like that," he said. "You know perfectly well why."

"Then say it," she said. "Please, Gaius, after all that's happened, I need to hear you say the words. I have to be sure our love is more important to you than my father's money."

"Lollia!" Gaius pursed his lips, reaching out to grasp her shoulders with gentle firmness. "I love you, all right? I've been in love with you since your family first moved to Rome. If it were up to me, I'd marry you right now! You know I would. And it's not just because of my feelings for you." He sighed, and lowered his eyes. "Lollia, you're my best friend. I don't…I don't want to live my life without you."

Lollia stared up at him, her expression soft with heartfelt adoration. Tucking a finger under his chin, she raised his eyes to meet hers, confessing with her smile everything she couldn't say in words. Gaius matched her smile with a grin of his own, his dark eyes shining as he took her in his arms and stole her breath with a kiss.

Within moments, the two were so involved with each other it was as if nothing existed beyond the circle of their arms, the glow in their eyes. They didn't hear the soft pad of footsteps approaching slowly from the cave. They didn't sense the immensity of the shadow rearing up behind them, or feel the warmth of its snuffling, panting breaths. They didn't register the monster's presence at all, in fact—until Lollia chanced to open her eyes…

"_AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!_"

* * *

Cue theme music! ;D 

_To Be Continued…_


	2. Part I

Thanks very much! Next bit, coming up:

**PART I**

"Lost again, are we?"

"Hmm?" The Doctor turned his head towards his companion, but his eyes remained fixed on his monitor screen. "What makes you say that?"

Rose Tyler leaned back, her elbows propped casually against the edge of the center console and a sassy twinkle in her eye. "Simple deduction," she said.

"Oh yeah?" The Time Lord did look at her now, an amused eyebrow cocked over the rim of his specs. "Been reading a bit of old Sherlock, have we?"

"Nah," Rose shook her head dismissively. "'S my own natural gift for observation."

"I see," said the Doctor, leaning in close with a teasing smile. "And just what have you observed?"

"Well, for one thing," Rose noted, "we landed more than five minutes ago and you still haven't said a word about where we are. Usually you're off babblin' about how great some planet is from the moment we touch down. Since you're not, I have to assume we're lost."

"Ah." The Doctor straightened back up with a theatrical wince. "Well."

"Yeees?" she drawled, enjoying his discomfort.

"Well," he said again, "I'm afraid that sounds more like abductive than deductive reasoning to me, Miss Tyler."

"Ah ha, so you admit—wait." Rose did a confused double take. "What?"

"Abductive reasoning," the Doctor repeated, his attention ostensibly glued to flicking switches on the console. "An intuitive leap, if you will, essentially the reverse of deduction. You observed an effect, and took a guess as to the cause, deriving _a_ as an explanation for _b_. But," he sniffed, "since your hypothesis is based solely on the supposition that I babble—a supposition which, I might add, is quite flawed, not to mention—"

"Doctor…" she interrupted pointedly. "You're babbling now. An' if you're tryin' to change the subject, it's not gonna work."

The Doctor glanced down at her impatient face and his lips gave an involuntary twitch, nearly causing his injured expression to slip. But then Rose elbowed him in the side and he burst out laughing, all attempts at false pride abandoned.

"All right, all right," he chuckled. "You got me. Rose Tyler…" He winced for real then, taking in a sharp breath through his teeth, "I'm afraid we're lost."

Rose grinned. "Ha! Said so," she gloated, completely unconcerned by their predicament. Scooting over, she wrapped her arm around his, giving his shoulder an affectionate pat. "So, where does the TARDIS think we are?"

"Well, according to the readout this is supposed to be London, 2006. The fourteenth of February to be exact."

"That's Valentine's Day!" Rose exclaimed, squeezing his arm. The Doctor favored her with a smile before moving on.

"However," he said, tapping at his keyboard, "the scanners are showing something quite different. Here, take a look."

He nudged the monitor closer to her, and Rose frowned at what she saw. "That's definitely not London."

"Nope," the Doctor agreed.

"That's not even England."

"Uh uh."

"Is it Earth?"

"Looks like it. Atmosphere's right, it's showing all the signs."

She nodded. "But you don't know when or where."

"Not a clue. Well, I say not a clue… There are a few clues. There's that hilly landscape, and those could be olive trees… If I had to take a guess, I'd say we're somewhere near the Mediterranean—Italy maybe, or Greece. But with the readout stuck on London, there's no way to be certain from here."

"I see," Rose nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I s'pose there's only one thing for it, then."

"'Fraid so," he agreed, taking the time to pull off his glasses and tuck them in his pocket before spinning to face her with a decidedly impish smile. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

A slow grin crept over Rose's face and she laughed.

"Race you for the door!"

* * *

_To Be Continued…_


	3. Part II

Thanks so much for reviewing! This is just a really quick post I wrote out during lunch. I actually wrote the second bit in the document box, so I apologize if it sounds hurried. I was attacked by a migraine at the end of last week, and then I was in Boston on Sunday, so today was the first chance I got to add to this story. Hope it's OK, and there's more coming soon!

**PART II**

The doctor closed the door to Gaius' room and stepped across the corridor to the adjoining chamber. The family and household staff were gathered there, anxiously waiting for his news. Lollia stood apart and alone near the corner, her pale, tear-streaked face hidden by her curls and her dress stained with blood.

"I gave him a draft to help with the pain," the little man pronounced somberly. "He is sleeping now."

Gaius' father, a broad, imposing man, nodded to the doctor, then turned a hard glare on Lollia, his dark eyes burning.

"I want you to tell me everything that happened out there, girl," he demanded coldly. "And I'll have the truth, this time."

"But I told you the truth before, sir," Lollia said, defiantly meeting his eyes through her tears. "It was a monster. It came out of the cave and attacked us!"

Gaius' mother, Aelia, released a choked sob, hastily making the sign of the cross before burying her face in her husband's shoulder. Marius squeezed his wife's arm, but never took his eyes from Lollia.

"Enough!" he snapped. "I have had it with your blasphemous lies!"

"It isn't blasphemy, it's the truth!" Lollia insisted, her anger starting to overshadow her tact. "We were there at Palatine hill, Gaius and I, standing outside the cave where the Lupercalia was to have been held, when—"

"Stop right there," Marius rumbled threateningly, releasing his wife to stalk across the room to the girl. "The Lupercalia has been abolished by the Pope. That cave is nothing more than a relic of ancient times. It holds no mystical power, and it certainly does not house a monster!"

"Then how do you explain what happened?" Lollia shot back. "If it wasn't a monster that attacked us, what was it?"

"A lie," Marius frowned, his shrewd eyes narrowed and calculating. "A trick to stir up the people's superstitious fears. As you well know, the abolition of the Lupercalia has caused a great deal of controversy, even in the Senate. By starting a rumor of a monster, you stand a chance of causing enough public outcry to get that unseemly pagan festival reinstated!"

"But why? What would be the point?" Lollia demanded. "Christian or pagan, the people still get a festival with the feast of St. Valentine and the martyrs—"

"You're clever, girl," Marius spoke over her with a glare. "But your innocent act won't fool me. I know what's in that lecherous heart of yours. The Lupercalia is a festival for lovers. If my son were to pull your name from a jar, there would be nothing I could do to stop your pairing, sinful though it may be. Not that that would bother a shameless seductress like you."

Lollia stared, outraged beyond words. "I can't believe that even you would say such a thing," she whispered, her eyes deep with pain. "After all the years you've worked with my father, eaten at his table—"

"Don't mention that cheat to me!" Marius roared. "I'll bet you were in on this together. I wouldn't put it past that snake to play on ancient superstition to worm his way into my family. You're pathetic, the pair of you."

"Stop it!" Lollia shrieked. "This isn't fair! I tell you there really is a monster in that cave. It's not a plot or a trick or—"

"Get out of my house, witch!" Marius snarled, towering over the horrified girl. "You won't corrupt my household with your heresies. And if you dare to come near my son again, I'll see to it that you and your father are excommunicated. I'll have you exiled from Rome. Do you hear me, girl? _Get out!_"

Lollia was trembling, but she managed to keep her dignity as she straightened her posture and looked the fierce man straight in the eye.

"I'll go. But we both know who's the real liar in this room, Marius," she said coldly. "You can spin what happened any way you like. You can call me a witch or a seductress, tell everyone I lured your son to that cave for some devious purpose. You're a powerful man. People will doubtless take your word over that of a dowerless girl."

She glared, taking a step closer. "But the fact remains that it did happen. What I saw was real. Gaius was hurt trying to protect me. He loves me. And no matter what you do—exile me, excommunicate me, even kill me—he knows I shall always love him."

Raising her chin, she shot him a look of pure disdain. "Good bye, old man."

With that, she strode from the room, leaving Marius to fume. But the moment she was out of sight, she broke into a run, her anguished tears streaming down her face. She didn't stop running until she had left Marius' house, and the city, far behind.

* * *

"Hello, I think that could be civilization up ahead!" 

The Doctor pointed with his free hand, pulling Rose along with the other as he hopped out of the tall grass and onto a wide, stone road. They had been strolling through hilly pastureland since leaving the TARDIS some twenty minutes before, and so far the only sign of habitation they'd encountered had been a scattered flock of grazing sheep. "Perhaps now we can find out when we are!"

"Then I take it you've sussed out the where?" Rose smiled, easily matching his stride on the flat, well-worn stones. The Doctor glanced back at her.

"Oh yes. Smooth, straight road like this? Dead give-away!" He grinned. "Well, that and the aqueduct I spotted from the hill. But, surely you've heard the old saying: 'All roads lead—"

Rose's eyes widened as she finished with him, "—to Rome!' So you're sayin' we're in Rome. Like, Ancient Rome. For real."

"Certainly looks like it!" He sniffed the air. "Smells like it too. Though mind you, as sanitation went in the ancient world, Rome was pretty well advanced. Internal plumbing, hot and cold running water… Didn't stop 'em gunkin' up the Tiber, though." He shook his head with a snort.

"You humans, you're always so short-sighted, even at this primitive level. You settle near a river, load it full of contaminants, then have to go to all the expense and effort of pumping fresh water in from elsewhere—through lead pipes, no less! Honestly, that's one thing about the human race I swear I'll never understand. You treat the planet like a garbage dump, then act all affronted when it starts to smell like one. And the diseases spawned from proximity to contaminated water…! Well, we can be thankful it isn't summer, eh Rose?"

When she made no immediate response, he gave her a nudge. "Rose? You there?"

Rose blinked, and shook her head slightly. "Hmm? Sorry?"

The Doctor's expression fell into a pout. "Weren't you listening?"

She shrugged. "Short-sighted humans, foulin' up the planet…," she said distractedly. "But, Doctor, I think I see a man over there. Sittin' by that little hut."

"Oh?" Pulling out his glasses, the Doctor looked in the direction she was pointing. "Well, what do you know. I was starting to wonder if we'd called at a bad time."

"A bad time?"

"Yes, well, Rome did fall victim to the odd sacking now and then. Depending on when we arrived, we could've found ourselves face to face with anyone from Alaric the Visigoth to Attila the Hun!"

Rose stopped short with a frown. "Wait a minute. You knew there could be hordes of barbarian raiders out there, burnin' an' pillagin' an' whatever else, but you kept walkin' anyway?"

"Only way to find out what's goin' on! Don't tell me you want to go back now."

Rose shot him an incredulous look. "Who, me? I've met up with Daleks, Cybermen, that Absorb-a-whatzis…"

"Abzorbaloff."

"Yeah. The lot. What's a few thousand sword-wielding barbarians next to all that?"

The Doctor grinned. "That's the spirit! Though mind you, if there are barbarians out there we're cutting this trip short. Exploration and adventure are all very good, but they're not worth getting your head lopped off in some mindless raid."

Rose nodded. "Sounds like a plan. So, about that old man?"

"Yes! Let's go see what that old shepherd has to offer!" Rubbing his hands together, he said, "It's a little chilly, isn't it. I'd say, maybe 54 degrees Fahrenheit? I am dying for a hot cup of tea."

"Don't think you're likely to get that here," Rose commented, taking his hand in hers. "But maybe this'll help."

The Doctor smiled at her as they fell into step, giving their linked hands a playful swing.

"Come on!"

_To Be Continued…_


	4. Part III

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

I was so afraid I wasn't going to be able to finish this chapter today, but I managed it despite everything! Hooray! There's a few more chapters to go before this story wraps up, but I kind of expected that since I wasn't able to write at all over the weekend. If I can manage to keep up this pace, I should be able to get this story finished by the start of next week. I think. Maybe. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next part and I hope you all have a fantastic Valentine's Day no matter what the weather might be. The weather here's absolutely awful. My entire street's flooded--they're pumping the water out now. Very noisy. And now, I've got to go finish up a paper for tomorrow. (sigh) Thanks for your reviews! They're really encouraging me to keep writing!

* * *

**PART III**

"Blimey, I don't believe it. Another pair of ruddy tourists!"

Rose and the Doctor stopped short, surprised by the grizzled shepherd's tone.

"Sorry? Do you mean us?" the Doctor asked. The old man sighed.

"Look, if you've come for the festival, it's been cancelled," he said. "By order of the Pope himself."

"Ah. And what festival is that?"

The shepherd stared at him as if he'd grown another head. "Why the Lupercalia, of course!" he said. "That's what all them peculiar foreigners want to see. Well, like I tell that lot, you can just keep on walking through because it ain't gonna be held this year. The Lupercalia's been abolished. There's a saint's day now instead, a feast to honor the martyrs. We're all of us Christian folk round here, and you can pass that on to your friends."

"Thank you, we will," the Doctor said absently, though his expression was sharply curious. "But first, tell me more about these 'peculiar foreigners.' What are they like?"

"Well, they keep to themselves mostly," the old man said. "But you can often tell 'em by sight. They dress oddly, speak oddly, generally have a clear leader. Usually wears some kind of flat hat with a shiny black visor. And they get all excited over the most commonplace things." He laughed. "You should see the commotion when one of 'em happens across a stray coin on the road. Unbelievable!"

The Doctor cocked a crooked smile. "I'm sure," he said. "And you say there've been many of them around?"

The shepherd shrugged. "Aw, they come an' go. Every year's different. But the Lupercalia's always been popular with them. It's one of Rome's oldest festivals, you see. Harkens back all the way to before the city was even founded, or so I've heard."

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully, but Rose was confused.

"Hold on, if this festival's such a big deal, why was it abolished?" she asked.

"Well, it's pagan, ain't it," the shepherd frowned. "It supposedly started out as a fertility rite to purify the land and ward off evil, but for most people it's more about gettin' drunk and pickin' up women. The Pope tried to alter it so's instead of pluckin' a woman's name out of a jar, the young folk would pick the name of a saint to emulate, but as you can imagine, that didn't really catch on. So this year, he did away with it all together. The Lupercalia is no more."

He sighed then, his lined face suddenly turning grim. "Me and the wife, we were all for it when we heard the news," he said. "That festival seemed such a disgrace, all those young blokes runnin' about like heathens, stark naked. But now…"

"What about now?" Rose pressed. The old man leaned closer, shooting a surreptitious glance up and down the road.

"There's rumors about," he said. "People are talkin' about things they've seen. Goats and sheep found ripped apart, dogs with their throats torn out… And jus' last night a young couple was attacked." He sighed again and shook his head.

"It's a sign, they say. A warning. They say by ignoring the ancient rites we have offended the spirits that protect Rome. It's true that hard times have fallen on this old city. An' I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Apotropaic magic."

Rose and the shepherd both frowned at the Doctor's seemingly random comment. "What?"

"Apotro—a ceremony or ritual intended to turn away evil," the Time Lord explained rapidly, his dark eyes starting to glimmer behind his glasses as he warmed to the topic. "That's what the Lupercalia was, that's why it managed to survive this far into the Christian era despite its more…unsavory practices. The Lupercalia was initially a pastoral festival held in honor of the shepherd god Lupercus—the Roman name for Pan. He was the protector of the flocks, the 'one who wards off the wolf.' Tell me," he said, fixing the old man with his intense gaze. "These attacks. Where did they take place?"

"On Palatine hill. The attack on the young couple occurred there, near the cave of Lupercus."

"And where are we?"

"About a half-mile east of Aventine hill."

"Doctor," Rose said warningly. "I know that look. What are you thinking?"

"Not sure yet," the Doctor said musingly. "But I do know if someone was out to frighten the people of Rome, the cave of Lupercus is the right place to start. That place is all wrapped up in the legendary history of the city."

"That's right," the old man nodded. "They say that cave is where the twins who founded Rome, Romulus and Remus, were reared by the she-wolf."

"And it's not just that," the Doctor added. "It just so happens the Lupercalia was also the festival where Mark Antony tried to crown Julius Caesar. He came up behind him several times, and each time Caesar turned him down, to the cheering of the crowd. Many have marked that day as the beginning of the end for ol' Caesar. Plutarch wrote about it, and Suetonius. Not to mention Shakespeare! Rose, you remember, that famous 'Friends, Romans, countrymen' speech? What was the line...oh yes!" He grinned. "'You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse: was this ambiton?' "

Rose stared, but the Doctor kept babbling on, oblivious. "Brilliant writer, Shakespeare," he said. "Terrible actor, though. I think I met him once…or maybe that was in the future…?"

Rose took advantage of his befuddled pause to hold up a hand.

"So…wait," she said. "What are you sayin'? Do you seriously think there's somethin' out there? Some creature attackin' lovers and tearin' livestock apart?"

"I don't know," the Doctor said. "But a little investigation wouldn't hurt, even if it's just to put these folks' minds to rest. Don't you think?"

"Well, I'm up for an investigation," she said gamely. "'Specially if it means we get to explore the city. I've always wanted to visit Rome!"

"There we are then!" the Doctor beamed, stuffing his glasses back in his pocket. "And I think we should start the investigation with that couple—the eyewitnesses. You wouldn't know their names, by any chance?" he asked, turning to the shepherd.

The old man smirked, but his eyes were sad. "I should think I do," he said. "The girl's my daughter. Lollia. An' if you an' your wife will follow me, I'll show you where she can be found."

Both Rose and the Doctor were openly taken aback by the old man's assumption, but to Rose's surprise the Doctor hastily covered her mouth before she could protest. That didn't stop her trying, though.

"But, we're not...!" she muffled.

"Rose, remember when we are," the Doctor whispered pointedly, lowering his hand. "Let them assume what they want. It'll be safer for you and the timeline if they think we're...you know. The Romans had great respect for family. Also..." he added, suddenly looking slightly awkward.

"What?" Rose asked, her eyes narrowed in a curious expression. The Doctor paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Also, it should help stave off any awkward questions about why we're traveling together. Things were different in ancient times, you know. Pretty young girls didn't just go runnin' off with strangers in blue police boxes. Not respectable ones, anyway."

"Aw, turned you down, did they?" Rose teased. The Doctor shot her a look, then ambled off after the shepherd, calling back to her in the same teasing tone:

"Come along, darling. We don't want to keep our tour guide waiting!"

* * *

_To Be Continued…_

Comments, critiques, corrections, reviews, all are welcome here. Please let me know what you think!


	5. Part IV

Well, the Lupercalia was the 15th, but I wasn't able to get this chapter done until today. Oh well. That's always the way with stories, isn't it? They seem to take so much longer than anticipated! Especially when you get distracted by the Marx Brothers...and my brand new "Ghost Light"_ Doctor Who _DVD...and they show a George Harrison concert on PBS...

Anyway, all distractions aside, here's Part Four! Hope you like it, and I'll try to get the next part up soon!

* * *

**PART IV**

After a few minutes walk, the old man led Rose and the Doctor off the main road to a narrow dirt path with a breathtaking view of the ancient city spread out below. The Doctor was clearly enjoying himself, enthusiastically pointing out the more famous, and some lesser known, sights. Various temples and basilicas, triumphal arches, the Forum, the Circus Maximus, the Collosseum or, the Doctor noted, as it was originally known,the _Amphitheatrum Flavium_, or Flavian Ampatheater… Rose was happy to drink it all in, until she spotted a rather ostentatious-looking building perched upon the outcropping of a nearby hill.

Tapping the Doctor on the shoulder, she pointed. "What's that one?"

"I believe I can help you there," the old man said grimly. "That there's the home of my old friend Marius, father to Gaius. He's the boy my Lollia was to have married…back when I was still a wealthy man."

His expression and tone were enough to sober even the Doctor. Rose felt awkward pressing him further, but she had to ask, "What happened?"

The old man chuckled, but the sound was bitter. "I started life as a shepherd, you know," he said. "I was born in the provinces, raised in a hut. When I was old enough, I signed on with the army. I traveled all across the Roman world, fought in many battles, saw many amazin' things. That was my second life—a Roman life. My name meant something then. I was Lucius Valerius, defender of Rome. By the time I retired, I was an officer, a citizen, and a very wealthy man. And then I met Cornelia."

His expression softened, a small, tender smile playing across his lips as he spoke his wife's name. "She was young—far too young to love an old soldier like me. She was so innocent, and I had seen and done so much… I tried to keep my distance, to be a friend to her—a mentor, even. But she was insistent, and it soon became impossible for me to keep up the act." He shook his head, his eyes distant with memory.

"Her father was a merchant, based in Actium," he said. "He and her mother protested the match initially, but gave in when I offered to invest my fortune in their shipping business. Perhaps they were right to object, I don't know. Cornelia was eighteen, still a girl, she couldn't have known what she was gettin' into, pledgin' her life to such a very old man. But our love was strong… It's lasted over twenty years now. I don' expect a couple o' youngsters like yourselves to understand. But my Cornelia has been the jewel of my third life."

Rose felt the Doctor squeeze her hand, and she looked up to find he was staring at her with an oddly unreadable expression.

"Oh, I think I understand, Lucius," he said softly, quickly averting his eyes before she had a chance to work out just what it was she had seen there. Straightening, he said, "But please, do continue."

"Not much more to tell, really," the old man sighed. "I've never had much of a head for business, but I did manage to run an honest shipping service for many years. I did all I could to protect my clients' goods from thievery and storms, payin' for every accident met with on the road, every late or lost shipment, every act of brigandage, sabotage, or natural disaster. But finally, in order to keep my oaths to my clients, I was forced to beg a loan from my old friend Marius. There were two shiploads of Egyptian grain due to arrive in Ostia harbor last month. They were to have been my salvation. But they never arrived. Word came they were attacked by pirates as they crossed the Mediterranean (1). I was left destitute, unable to pay my debts. And my poor Lollia has had to pay the price for my broken promises, since I can no longer provide her with a dowry."

He closed his eyes, his posture stooped with the burden of his shame. "And so it seems my life has come full circle. I was born into nothing, and to nothing I have returned. But it is not the loss of my fortune that preys upon my soul. It is the fact that I have pulled my beloved wife and my dear daughter down with me."

"But if you an' Marius were such old friends, why didn't he help you out?" Rose asked, her brow furrowed. "He sure seems rich enough."

"Rose…" the Doctor warned, but her comment had already raised the old soldier's ire.

"Do you think I would accept charity from a man such as him?" Lucius frowned. "You do me wrong, girl. I'll pay my debts honestly, by the sweat of my own labor, or die in the attempt. I'll not sell my honor or my freedom for a few shiny coins!"

"OK, I'm sorry," Rose protested, raising her hands in defense. "Honest, I didn't mean anythin' by it!"

The old man snorted, the dangerous flare in his eyes fading to a dim smolder. "It's not much further now," he said gruffly, picking up their pace along the path. "Come along."

The rest of the journey passed in silence, with Rose keeping close to the Doctor. They finally came to a stop at the outskirts of an olive grove. At first, it seemed no one was around. But then, Rose heard the soft sounds of sobbing coming from somewhere among the trees. She shared a concerned look with the Doctor.

"Lollia?" the old man called, his rough voice surprisingly gentle. "Lollia, come out, my dear. There are people here who wish to speak with you about what you've seen."

There was a long pause, then, slowly, a girl emerged from the shadows under the trees. She was short and very slender with large eyes, pale skin, and dark, curly hair. Her face was flushed and streaked with tears, but she held herself with her back straight and her chin high, regarding Rose and the Doctor without a hint of shyness or fear. Rose guessed she couldn't be more than seventeen years old.

"Who are they, father?" the girl asked curiously, coming up beside the old man. "Why are they dressed so strangely?"

"They're foreigners, my girl," Lucius explained. "From a very distant land."

"That's right," the Doctor grinned. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. Hello!"

Lollia shot them a suspicious look. "Why have you come here?" she asked.

"Well, we've been having a bit of a chat with your father," he said. "He's told us some very interesting things—about a creature…?"

Lollia's suspicious look deepened, and she pursed her lips nervously. The Doctor took a step closer.

"I can help you, Lollia," he said gently, his brown eyes intense. "But first you have to trust me. You have to tell me what you saw."

Lollia hesitated a moment longer, then shuddered, releasing a trembling breath. "It…I'm not sure," she stammered. "It was dark, and everything happened in a blur."

"That's all right," Rose assured her. "Jus' tell us anything you can remember. Any little detail could help."

"Well, it was big," Lollia said. "Taller than a man. And its eyes glinted gold. It came up behind us, out of the cave of Lupercus. Its breaths were rapid, panting, like an animal—a dog or…or a wolf. And it was covered all over in silvery fur."

"Oh my God…" Rose turned a troubled look on the Doctor. "You don't think it could be another one of those werewolves, do you? A lupine hemo—what was it?"

"A lupine wavelength haemovariform," the Doctor supplied with a thoughtful frown. "No. No, in order to trigger the lupine transmorgrification the haemovariform's host has to be struck directly by moonlight, and there's no way that could have happened inside the cave. And even if it did, such a transformation is very noisy, very painful—no way they could have missed somethin' like that."

Rose had to conceed his point. "OK, then. What do you think it was?"

"Don't know. I need more information. Lollia," he said. "Your friend, Gaius is it?"

She nodded, her expression pained. "He was wounded," she said softly. "He was trying to protect me. He pushed me out of the way, but the monster bit his leg. I didn't stop to think—I just grabbed a stick and started beating at it, trying to force it to let him go. But it didn't attack me. Instead, it just wimpered. It wimpered and ran away, back into the cave."

The Doctor's eyes glinted. "Hmm," he mused, intrigued. "Lollia, is there any chance we could see Gaius? I would like very much to examine his wound."

Lollia shared a long look with her father, then turned back to face the Doctor, her expression one of fierce determination.

"I can take you to his room," she said. "But we'll have to wait until nightfall. His father has forbidden me to come near him. He threatened to have me excommunicated as a heretic for telling what I've seen. But he's hosting another feast tonight, in honor of the martyers. If we're careful, we could hopefully slip in among the guests, unseen."

"Which martyers?" Rose asked curiously. Lollia and Lucius both stared at her.

"Don't you know?" Lollia asked, incredulously. "Tomorrow is St. Valentine's Day."

"And the day after would have been the Lupercalia," Lucius added. "They've been throwing parties all week. Isn't that why you came here?"

"Oh, right!" Rose said, tapping her forehead with her palm. "'Course it is. Sorry."

Lucius frowned. "Where are you from, exactly?" he said suspiciously. "I don't think you said."

"Didn't we?" The Doctor said, feigning surprise. "Could have sworn…"

"Oh, we've been all over," Rose broke in. "But we're from Britannia originally. From Augusta—formerly known as Londinium."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. But Lucius looked enlightened.

"Oh I see. The frontierlands, lost to the barbarians. No wonder you are so well versed in these strange matters."

"Yeah, well, naturally," the Doctor said. "Those Britons, you know…trouble magnets, they are."

Rose elbowed him in the arm. "Funny," she smirked. "I thought that was you."

The Doctor smirked back. "Anyway," he said. "Does anyone have the time?"

Lucius squinted at the slowly setting sun. "I'd say it's near four o'clock," he said. "Why?"

"'Cause I was hoping to take a look at that cave," the Doctor told him. "And also—and I'm aware that this is a long shot—but would either of you know where I could get a cup of tea? It's a sort of drink you make by steeping fragrant leaves in hot water, and—"

"Oh, Martina sells a drink like that," Lollia said. "It's made with oregano and other herbs. Her shop is on the way to the cave. We could stop there if you like."

"Oregano tea, eh?" The Doctor didn't seem particularly thrilled by the idea, but he mulled it over nonetheless. "Well, it's worth a try, I suppose. When in Rome, and all that."

"We need to be off quickly then, if we're to make the cave before sunset," said Lollia.

"And I need to get back to my flock, before the wolves come out," Lucius added. "Be careful, my child," he said, enfolding Lollia in a hug. "And please, try not to aggrivate Marius any further."

"Yes, father," Lollia nodded. Turning to the Doctor, Lucius said, "I'm trusting you to take care of my daughter, stranger. See to it that she comes to no harm, or I'll set a curse upon your head that will follow you and your descendents through the ages."

The Doctor straightened, his expression deadly serious. "I'll watch out for her, as if she were my own daughter," he promised the old man. "But as for that curse…" He turned his gaze to the sky. When he spoke again, his voice was hollow. "I'm afraid you're too late, Lucius. I've already beaten you to it."

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

(1) The Mediterranean was plagued by pirates during the time of the Western Roman Empire's collapse. Noted pirates included the Vandals, who took their turn sacking Rome in 455.

* * *

Please Review! 


	6. Part V

Thanks very much, and here's the next part!

**PART V **

"There's nobody home!"

The Doctor's disappointed voice echoed back from within the cave. Rose sighed and shivered slightly, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"I didn't see any footprints or anythin' comin' in," she said, scuffing the brown, tufty grass by the entrance with her shoe. "S'pose the ground's too hard."

"Yeah…" The Doctor came up beside her, noting her huddled posture with some concern. "Are you cold? 'Cause, you know, I could lend you my coat—"

"Nah, I'm good. Really," Rose assured him with a bracing smile. "'S just the wind out here—bit chilly but it's not too bad."

"I said you should've had some of that oregano stuff back at Martina's," he scolded. "Needed salt, perhaps, maybe a hint of garlic, but at least it was hot."

Rose made a face. "Any sort of tea that needs salt to taste good ain't for me, thanks," she said. "And let's not start on the garlic."

The Doctor shrugged. "Well, I'm sure lemon could have done in a pinch. If they had it. I wonder—did they have lemons in Ancient Rome? Where are they from anyway, lemons? Originally, I mean."

Rose smirked. "What, d'you mean there's somethin' 'bout this planet you don't know?"

"Do you know?"

"No!"

"Well, then," he sniffed. "S'pose it doesn't matter. But seriously, Rose, it is getting colder and the last thing I want is for you to get sick. Here."

"No, Doctor…" Rose tried to protest. But he had already shrugged out of the coat and was now reaching over to drape it around her shoulders. "What about you?" she frowned, stubbornly trying to hide how welcome his gesture really was. "Won't you be cold now?"

He smiled. "You're forgetting, Rose. I'm a Time Lord. My body chemistry's different to yours. Far more efficient."

"Efficient," Rose snorted. "Riiight. As I recall, I wasn't the one whining for hot tea all afternoon."

"We walked a long way!" the Doctor said defensively. "I was thirsty!"

"Yeah," Rose allowed, "But you were cold too. And now you're gonna be colder, 'cause I'm keepin' the coat." She pulled the tan fabric close around her, burying her nose in the collar. "Nice aftershave, by the way."

The Doctor shot her a look, annoyance warring with amusement in his dark eyes. "Thanks," he smirked. "I think. Just try not to let it drag on the ground, yeah? It's a bit long on you. And don't go fishing 'round in the pockets, either."

"Why?" Rose teased. "Afraid I might happen across something personal?"

"Nah," the Doctor shook his head. "It's just I've got an awful lot of junk stowed away in there. Spare parts for the TARDIS, various tools, important—"

"Bananas?" Rose struggled to hold in her incredulous giggles as she pulled a small bunch of three ripe bananas from the coat's left pocket. "An' a little deeper in, we have a bag of sweets and…a yo-yo? You carry around a yo-yo? Whatever for?" Slipping the loop over her finger, she gave the neon-yellow toy a few test throws, unable to help admiring its perfect balance.

"Oi!" the Doctor exclaimed, sounding for all the world like a possessive little boy reluctant to share his playthings. "Careful! That's an important piece of equipment, that is. Vital, even!"

"Oh? How so?"

"Loads of reasons," the Doctor huffed. "For one, I've yet to find a better way to test the artificial gravity on disused satellites. Scanners could be faulty, or relay false readings. But my method is quick, efficient, and always one hundred percent reliable—if, perhaps, a tad unconventional."

"Uh huh," Rose nodded, biting her lip to hide her amusement as she caught the yo-yo and turned her attention back to the forbidden pockets. "Let's see…you've also got some spoons, a dog whistle, a cricket ball—how old are you again? And what's this?" she asked, holding out something that looked like the ceramic handle off a bread knife.

"Ah, that," said the Doctor, "is a sonic lance. And you'd better put all that stuff back where you found it, Miss Tyler, or I'm taking back my coat."

"Right, OK, don't get your pinstripes in a twist," she said, throroughly enjoying his petulant expression even as she complied with his wishes. "But what's it do?"

"What's what do?" he asked, irritably snatching his bag of sweets from the crook of her elbow and popping a few in his mouth. "Jelly baby?"

"Ta," she smiled, taking three before shoving the bag back in its proper pocket with all the rest. "The sonic lance. How's it different from your sonic screwdriver?"

"It's more a cutting tool," he explained. "I use it for precision stuff, like peeling the protective plastic off those annoying little colored wires—you know, the ones that are so thin if you pull too hard on the plastic the copper inside comes away as well? Well, that handy little doodad just zaps the coating away, no fuss, no bother, no problem. Saves oodles of time."

Rose nodded. "OK. But when do you ever need spoons—"

"Rose! Doctor!"

Rose had to swallow the rest of her question as the sound of Lollia's voice pulled them back to the present. Sharing a glance, they realized she was calling from the clearing outside the cave, where she'd offered to keep watch.

"Lollia!" the Doctor called back, sprinting out of the cave with Rose close behind him. "What's up? Spy anything interesting?"

Lollia glanced at Rose in the Doctor's coat before answering. "I've seen no sign of the monster as yet," she said, "but the servants have just begun lighting the torches for Marius' feast. If we're to stand a chance of getting in to see Gaius, we'd best move now."

"Right," the Doctor nodded, blowing on his chilled hands before shoving them in the pockets of his trousers. "Lollia, you lead the way. We'll stop back here later tonight. Perhaps by then, your monster will have returned."

Lollia nodded and headed off at once, setting them a brusque pace through the spreading darkness. Rose watched the Doctor stride choppily through the grass with his skinny shoulders hunched against the wind—her eyes lingering on the redness at the end of his nose, spreading across his freckled cheeks, tinting the tips of his ears—and shook her head.

Shrugging out of his coat, she ran up beside him and held it out. "Here," she said. "You need this more than I do."

"Rose," he frowned, all ready to argue, but the firm look she shot him would allow no denial. Sighing, he reluctantly allowed her to help him don the coat, but before she could slip away, he took her by the hand.

"A compromise, then," he said, enfolding her in a close half-embrace so his coat could cover them both, like a cloak. Wrapping her arm around his waist, Rose smiled up at him.

"Works for me," she said.

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Part VI

Thanks! Here's another quick post, written out late last night and early this morning. Hope it's OK!

**PART VI**

It was soon clear that Lollia knew the layout of Gaius's house as if it were her own. Carefully avoiding the torchlight, she led Rose and the Doctor past the laughing crowds and through a small side entrance—probably used by the servants. After a tricky trip down several narrow, lamp lit corridors, they finally reached the door to the young man's bedchamber.

Knocking softly, Lollia crept into the dimly lit room, her tense expression brightening the instant her eyes fell upon the figure lying prone on the bed.

"Gaius?" she whispered, tenderly brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead as she sat on the bed beside him. "Gaius, it's me. Are you awake?"

Gaius slowly opened his eyes, the lingering effects of the sleeping drafts he'd taken leaving him very groggy. Even so, he managed a tender smile when he saw Lollia. Taking his hand, she pressed it to her cheek, nuzzling her face in his palm.

"I thought," he whispered hoarsely, then tried again. "I thought my father had forbidden you to see me."

"Your father doesn't know I'm here," she retorted with a conspiratorial smile. "How are you feeling?"

"My leg," he sighed, briefly closing his eyes. "It throbs. It feels so hot…"

"D'you mind if I take a look?"

Gaius frowned at the unfamiliar voice, noticing the two strangers for the first time. "Who…?"

"'S all right, he's the Doctor," Rose said kindly. "And I'm Rose. Rose Tyler. We've come to give you a hand with that leg." It wasn't until the Doctor rolled his eyes that she realized what she'd said. "You know what I mean!"

"I take it this is to help you sleep?" the Doctor asked, sniffing the contents of the bottle the doctor had left by Gaius's bedside. "Must taste terrible. My sympathies. You wouldn't happen to have any lemons lying about, would you?"

"They may have some at the feast," Lollia told him. "Why, would a lemon help—?"

"Not a bit," the Doctor said lightly, pointedly ignoring the incredulous look Rose shot him as he strode back to the bed. "Just curious. Now then, let's take a look at that leg, shall we?"

"No, wait. Lollia," Gaius frowned, struggling to sit up. "Who are these strange people? Why have you brought them here? You must know I already have a doctor."

Lollia pursed her lips and glanced at the two foreigners. "They're friends of my father, Gaius," she told him at last. "He told them about the monster. They're here to track it down." She lowered her eyes. "And I've been helping them."

"What!" the young man exclaimed. "Lollia, you mustn't go hunting that thing! It's dangerous, bloodthirsty! Lollia," he said, gently taking her head between his hands as he forced her to meet his eyes. "That creature is not of this world."

"Now, let's not get all melodramatic," the Doctor tutted, taking the opportunity to lift the bed covers from Gaius's legs. "I'm the Doctor, and I'll say whether the thing that attacked you is of this world or not." Gingerly, he peeled back the dressing over the wound so he could peer underneath. "Well, well, what do we have here…"

Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he took a moment to adjust the setting, then used it to perform a quick scan. Lollia and Gaius watched in uncertain amazement, marveling at the slender instrument's strange, shrill sound and impossibly glowing tip.

"It's like a swarm of insects," Gaius winced. "All buzzing at once in my head. Doctor, just what manner of device is that? What's its purpose?"

"So you're curious?" the Doctor said with a small, distracted smile. "Good for you. First sign of an open mind." Tucking the tool away again, he turned on the nervous couple with a beaming grin. "Well, you'll be happy to know the wound is not infected. Young Gaius here should be up and about in less than a week. Only, you should remember to go easy on the stairs at first and I'd strongly advise you to avoid any unnecessary hopping for at least another month."

Rose frowned. "So, what, that's it? No hopping? Didn't the bite marks tell you anythin'?"

Shooting another smile at the befuddled young Romans, the Doctor took Rose gently by the arm and pulled her to the side. "Rose," he said through unmoving lips, "I didn't want to alarm those two, but…"

"But what, Doctor?" she pressed. "Is it an alien?"

"See, that's the thing," he said. "I don't think it is. But that bite pattern on the boy's leg is…well, it's not what I was expecting. In fact, I have to say I've never seen anything quite like it."

Rose jutted her lip. "That is saying something."

"Yeah." The Doctor scratched at the back of his neck. "It's bizarre. An impossible mix of canine and—I think—human."

"Then it is a werewolf!"

"No!" The Doctor sighed deeply, scrubbing a hand through his unruly hair. "I thought I had it sussed before—this was just to confirm. But now something isn't adding up. Rose, we have to find that creature. There has to be some kind of—"

"Doctor?" Lollia spoke up, very concerned. "Doctor, is there something wrong?"

"No, no, everything's fine. Like I said, Gaius's leg will heal with no trouble."

"But it's clear you're upset about something," Gaius frowned. "If it isn't me, then…wait..." He trailed off, his head tilted and his eyes sharp. Something in the distance was calling out; an eerie, mournful sound. "Did any of you just hear that?"

"It's the monster," Lollia gasped. "That howl…the howl that's almost a scream…"

A moment later, the shrill sounds of panic erupted among the partygoers outside. Rose's eyebrows went up, but before she could say anything, the Doctor had her hand in his and they were racing for the door.

"Lollia, stay with Gaius," he shouted over his shoulder. "Gaius, you stay where you are. Come on, Rose, we've got to get out there before it's too late!"

"Too late for what?"

"Just come on!"

Together, they raced through room after room of marble pillars, mosaic floors and frescoed walls before bursting out right into the heart of pandemonium. People were screaming, running, most of them too drunk to watch where they were going. A few of the women were praying, gathered in terrified huddles amidst the ruins of the feast. Others were sobbing about demons and retribution, ancient spirits and angry gods. The Doctor took one look at the chaotic scene and dashed to the side, recognizing that any thought of reestablishing order there was hopeless.

"Where are we going?" Rose demanded, shouting to be heard over the noise.

"The creature's out there, I want to see it. Here, hold this," the Doctor replied, throwing her his coat so he could scramble up onto a rocky outcropping without its length tripping him in the wind. He stood there on the narrow ledge frowning, his dark eyes scanning the dimness beyond the torchlight.

"Where is it? It's got to be around here somewhere, all those people wouldn't be carrying on like that over nothing…"

Just then, Rose screamed, the sound of her terror nearly causing his hearts to stop. But her fear wasn't for herself. She was screaming for him.

"Doctor! Look out!"

And then he realized. The monster he was looking for? It was looming directly above him.

"Ah," he said, turning slowly with a weak smile. "Hello. I've been hoping to meet up with you. You know, you're in quite a lot of danger, actually. Not from me, no. But perhaps something you found? Or…" he said, his expression brightening with sudden inspiration. "Something you _ate_! Yes. _Ye_s, that could explain it! You were probably nosin' around in the grass, spotted something shiny... If you swallowed a thing like that, who knows how it would react!"

The monster sniffed loudly, fixing the Doctor with a cold, golden glare. "No, no, I wasn't making any suggestions just then," he said, quickly, raising his hands in defense. "You wouldn't want to eat me anyway. Just skin and bones, me, all tough and stringy—like a beanpole, really, and you wouldn't eat a beanpole would you? No?"

The creature took a threatening step closer, forcing the Doctor to back nearer to the cliff's edge. "…heh… I'd say we could talk this out...but, if I'm right, you can't understand a word I'm saying, can you."

As if in response, the monster bared its fangs, its rough, panting snarls filling the Time Lord's ears. And then, with a horrible, garbled roar, it pounced.

* * *

_To Be Continued…_

Please Review!


	8. Part VII

**PART VII**

"_AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!_"

The horrified scream was distant, but even filtered through the muffled babble of wails and cries from the guests, Lollia and Gaius were quick to recognize the source.

"That's Rose!" Lollia exclaimed, jumping up from where she'd been sitting by her boyfriend's side. "Gaius, they're in trouble!"

"Don't even consider going out there," Gaius frowned. "The Doctor told us to stay where we are."

"No, he told you to stay where you are," she retorted.

"And he told you to stay with me!"

"But I'm always with you, Gaius," she said with false innocence. "You've told me that a thousand times."

The young man rolled his eyes. "I'm serious, Lollia," he said, sitting up so he could twine his fingers with hers. "You've always been headstrong—that's one the the things I love most about you. But I don't want to have to mourn you for it. Don't make me forbid you to leave."

Lollia shook her head with an affectionate smile, pulling her hands away even as she leaned in for a brief kiss. "I love you, Gaius," she told him, "but you're not my husband yet. And even if you were…" She shot him a look which, though teasing, clearly conveyed her formidible strength of will. "I'll be back."

"No—Lollia!"

But she was already out the door. Gaius sighed and slammed his fists down on the bed, wincing at the renewed pain the movement sent shooting through his leg. Yet despite his frustration and anger, the young Roman couldn't help admiring her courage. She was, in every way, the child of a noble soldier, with a fighting heart and a virtuous soul. The very qualities that would get her killed, or worse, if she wasn't careful.

Crossing himself, Gaius clasped his hands and turned his eyes to the heavens, praying for the martyered saints to watch over his Lollia and keep her safe until he was well enough to resume the task.

* * *

Hidden beneath her long cloak, it was a relatively simple matter for Lollia to slip unnoticed past the drunken, wailing guests and into the open darkness beyond the torchlight. She stood at the corner of the building, anxiously scanning the area for any sign of Rose and the Doctor. She spotted them only a short distance up the hill. And there, crouching just above them, was the monster. Its silvery fur gleamed in the moonlight, highlighting its long jaws and impossibly distorted form. 

Lollia didn't stop to think. She ran at once towards the pair, the determined pumping of her arms and legs keeping her terror at bay, even as she watched events unfold. Rose with her hands at her mouth, draped in the Doctor's overcoat; the Doctor, backing precariously close to the end of the ledge he was standing on; the monster, stalking closer, preparing to spring—

And then, Lollia became aware of a sound so faint and so high in pitch she was sure she must have imagined it. But it immediately caught the monster's attention. Letting loose with a vicious roar, the silvery beast leapt over the Doctor's head…

…and landed in a crouch directly in front of Rose, its golden eyes gleaming. It was only then that Lollia noticed it was Rose making that peculiar, nearly inaudible sound. She'd been blowing with all her might into a thin, metal instrument, but now she let the instrument drop, holding her hands out defensively as she stumbled back, trapped in the monster's hungry gaze.

The Doctor seemed to recognize what Rose had done a moment before Lollia. Horrified, he fell to his knees on the ledge with his arm outstretched, his voice cracking as he screamed: "_NO! ROSE!_"

The raw fear in his voice went through Lollia like a lightening bolt, jolting her into action. Digging her heels into the patchy winter grass, the young Roman swooped down to snatch up the largest rock she could find. Without even pausing to take aim, she launched the rock at the snarling beast. It struck the creature in the side—a glancing blow at that distance, but enough to divert its attention from Rose. Lollia quickly fumbled for another rock, even as Rose pulled a bright yellow object from the Doctor's pocket, grasping it by its string and swinging it around like a mace before letting it fly straight at the monster's head. The monster howled and reared up on its hind legs—

—only to collapse with a terrible scream when Lollia's second rock struck it square in the gut.

As the Doctor scrambled down from the ledge—enveloping Rose in a fierce embrace, which she fervently returned—Lollia cautiously approached the monster, which was now curled in a tight ball, whining and whimpering like a wounded puppy. Could one rock really have hurt it so badly…?

"I see your point now about the yo-yo," Rose was giggling, over to her left. "It really came in useful."

"See, what'd I say?" the Doctor grinned over her shoulder. "Quick, efficient, reliable." Releasing Rose, he glanced over at Lollia. "And thanks must also go out to Miss Lollia, for her own timely use of a primitive weapon. It was much appreciated—if unexpected. Didn't I tell you to stay with Gaius?"

"Well, I was," Lollia started, "but then we heard Rose scream and—"

"'S all right, you don't have to apologize," the Doctor said. "You're here now, so let's put you to work. Hold this." He pressed his sonic screwdriver into her hand.

"Your instrument," she said in surprise. "But what can I—?"

"Just hold it," he told her, his attention fixed on the gasping creature huddled at their feet. "I'll tell you when I need it. Now…" He crouched down, reaching a tentative hand toward the monster's head—

"Doctor!"

—and immediately snatching it back when the monster made a snap for it with its long jaws and sharp teeth.

"Oi, watch it," he scowled reprovingly at the creature. "I already lost that hand once, and I've no desire for a repeat performance." Shooting Rose an impish glance, he said, "Thanks for the heads-up."

Rose frowned and crossed her arms. "Jus' what are you tryin' to do?"

"I'm trying to help this poor fellow," he told her, holding his hand out to the beast once again. This time, though, he dodged the snapping fangs and pressed his hand against the side of its head, closing his eyes in concentration.

"There now," he murmured. "It hurts, I know. Just relax. Yeah…there you go… Rose."

"Yeah?"

"Hand me my sonic lance, will you?"

While Rose rummaged through his coat pockets, Lollia regarded the Doctor in open amazement.

"You put it to sleep," she said. "Just by touching it!"

"Yes, well, I've picked up a few tricks in my time," the Doctor smiled evasively. "Rose, the lance?"

"Got it," she said, slapping the ceramic handle on his palm. Slipping on his glasses, the Doctor grinned up at her and activated the device. A narrow blade of blue light extended from the top, provoking a startled gasp from Lollia.

"What are you?" she said, her voice trembling despite herself. "You are no mere travelers, like you told my father. Where are you from, really?"

"Oh, miles and miles away," the Doctor replied absently, his attention fully focused on carefully shaving a patch of fur off the unconscious creature's underbelly. "But when we told you we were travelers, we never said anything about being 'mere'. Nothing 'mere' about us. Lollia, I need my sonic scr—that instrument thing you're holding for me."

Terribly dissatisfied with his elusive answers, Lollia initially considered withholding the device, but Rose's sharp, knowing look dissuaded her. "Here," she sighed, handing it back to him. "But if you won't tell me about yourself, will you at least tell me what that creature is? And what you're doing to it?"

"Well," the Doctor said. "If I'm right—and I usually am—this poor beast swallowed something it shouldn't, and it's been suffering ever since. I plan to remove that something and send this creature on its way."

"You're going to let it go!" Lollia exclaimed. "A monster like that!"

"No, not a monster," the Doctor corrected. "But it is a member of an endangered species. At least, it will be endangered in some fifteen hundred years. By the end of the twentieth century there were only about one hundred of these creatures scattered around Italy, and even in your time, Rose, farmers and hunters continue to kill about that many each year. Come here—both of you," he waved them closer. "Look at this."

Activiating his sonic screwdriver, he pointed it at the slumbering beast's head. Wherever the pulsing blue light hit, the creature's frighteningly distorted features seemed to fade away like a shadow, revealing the familiar snout of a common Italian wolf beneath.

"Magic!" Lollia gasped, stumbling back.

"No," the Doctor shook his head, deactiving the device and moving back to the bare patch of skin he had prepared. "Science. What we're seeing here is a hologram. Hard light—that's why the projected image behaves as if it were solid. Somehow, this hungry wolf got its jaws around a personal holo-shield—probably discarded by some careless tourist."

"A tourist?" Rose frowned, the brightened as a memory struck her. "Wait, d'you mean those oddly dressed people Lucius was talkin' about—those were aliens?"

"Some of 'em, sure," the Doctor nodded. "There's dozens of tour agencies out there offering holiday trips to Earth's past. Some go to Rome, some to China—I once tagged along with a space bus full of tourists that turned up in a Welsh holiday camp in 1959! The Shangri La, it was called. Near Llandrudnod Wells."

Rose made a disbelieving face. "Why would alien tourists want to go there?" she asked.

"They didn't," the Doctor told her. "The bus had an accident. It was knocked off course by an American satellite."

"Ah," Rose smirked, as if that explained everything. "And you had to help 'em leave before they caused too much trouble."

"Something like that," the Doctor smirked back. "But, the point is, lots of those tourists look nothing like human beings. So, most tour agencies supply camouflage. In this case, it's most likely a holo-shield. But even a portable holo-shield would be far too large to pass safely through a wolf's system, and this one's obviously been malfunctioning for some time. Instead of making the wolf look and sound human, like it was supposed to, it garbled the image, creating a ghastly amalgam."

"So, that's why those teeth marks on Gaius's leg were so strange," Rose realized.

"Exactly. Hard light image, hard light teeth." Looking up at Rose, the Doctor passed her his sonic screwdriver, saying, "Aim the beam at this patch of skin, and keep it going. I need to see what I'm doing."

"Right," Rose nodded, the pair of them peering through the wavering holographic image as the Doctor used his sonic lance to make a careful incision in the wolf's underbelly. Rose made a disgusted sound.

"Look away if it bothers you," the Doctor said. "But keep that beam straight. I just have to—ah! Here we go…"

As Lollia watched, the hideously malformed image of the silvery monster faded away completely, leaving only the comparatively small form of the unconscious wolf. Pulling a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, the Doctor wiped clean the device he had extracted from the wolf's gut. Then, taking his sonic screwriver from Rose, he closed his incisions, leaving the wolf's skin as smooth as if he had never operated at all.

"Great job, fella," he grinned, giving the wolf's side a friendly pat. "That fur'll grow back in a few weeks, and you'll be good as new."

Scooting around the animal, he took the wolf's head in his hands, looking him straight in the eye as he slowly came to.

"That's right," he smiled, scratching him between the ears. "All better! Now, I want you to head straight home. And try to stay away from that cave from now on, all right?"

As if in response, the wolf got to its feet with a snuffling grunt, racing off into the darkened hills without looking back. The Doctor sighed in satisfaction, slapping his hands against his thighs as he straightened back to his full height. His smile faded, however, when he saw how Rose and Lollia were staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Were you talkin' to the wolf jus' then?" Rose asked. The Doctor shrugged.

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'talking'," he said. "But we communicated, yeah. I don't think you'll see that fella around here for some time. Or any of his mates, for that matter."

"Oh my God…" Lollia suddenly looked very pale. "You—you are… You really are…"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, slipping his specs back in his pocket. "What's she on about?" he asked Rose, but she was just as lost as he was.

"You transformed the monster," the young Roman continued, as if in a trance. "You chased away the wolf… And on this week…the week of the Lupercalia…"

Understanding hit the Doctor like an electric shock. "Oh no," he said quickly. "Oh, no, no, I'm not Lupercus. Or Pan or any sort of deity."

"But…but you…"

"I healed that wolf," the Doctor told her with deliberate care. "Using tools and knowledge, like any doctor would. That's all I did. It's like I told you. I'm the Doctor."

"More the Vet in this case, I'd say," Rose smirked. The Doctor shot her a look. But Lollia still looked uncertain.

"Here, look," the Doctor said, reaching into his pocket for the holo-shield. "The wolf swallowed this thing. Where I come from, it's called a holo-shield, but what's it look like to you?"

"It's a box," she frowned, hesitantly taking the small object from his outstretched hand. "A round box. But it seems to be made entirely of gold."

"That's right," he nodded. "Now, open it. Press that button on the side."

She did, only to gasp in amazement. "Are those…they can't be diamonds?"

"Sure they can," the Doctor smiled. "See this little glass bulb thing?" he said, unscrewing the tiny bulb and holding it up to her before stowing it in his pocket. "Well, when it's working, this bulb sends a beam of light through those carbon crystals. The refraction of that light is what forms the image you saw—the monster. It's like shining a light through a prism—or when the sun falls on raindrops to make a rainbow. There's nothing magical about it. It's just science."

Lollia nodded, but it was clear she didn't fully understand. "So, it's a trick," she frowned. "An illusion. Like the man who appears to breathe fire, but really just spits alcohol into the flame."

The Doctor winced at the comparison. "Well…not exactly. It's more like—"

He would have gone on, but Rose nudged him, hard. "You have the idea," she finished with a smile. "But shouldn't we be getting back to that party now? Someone should calm those people down."

The Doctor made a face. "Not me," he said. "I don't want to get mixed up in all that. Besides, they'd never understand."

"But Doctor, we can't just—"

"Lollia can do it!" the Doctor exclaimed with a wide smile.

"Me!" Lollia looked stricken. "But I'm not even supposed to be here! If Marius should see me, he'd tell them all that I was responsible for that monster. He'd call me a witch, or worse, and they'd believe him! I can't go up there."

"'Course you can," the Doctor said. "Can't she, Lucius."

"What?" Rose frowned, turning to see the old shepherd approaching from out of the darkness under the trees. "How long has he been there?"

The old man smirked. "I knew there was something odd about you two," he said. "Knew it from the moment I first set eyes on you. Call yourself what you will, Doctor. But I know what I saw. And I'll always be grateful to you for saving us, and Rome, from that terrible beast."

"Father," Lollia started, but the old man held up a hand.

"The Doctor is right, Lollia," he told her. "We can't go on avoiding Marius forever. And we can't expect Rome's protectors to involve themselves in such worldly matters, or to linger on past their time."

"But we're not…" the Doctor started, then sighed in exasperation. "Oh, it's no good arguing. Just, do us a favor. Don't start up with that sacrifice business again, yeah? I never wanted all that bother to begin with."

Rose shot him a curious look, but Lucius simply nodded.

"Well, like I told you, we're Christian folk 'round these parts," he said. "But that don't mean we should ignore the evidence of our own eyes. This world is full of mysteries. I'd rather accept them with understanding than deny them and live in fear."

The Doctor smiled. "Wise man, Lucius," he said. "Oh, and Lollia has a surprise for you."

Lollia blinked, confused. "I do?"

"The box…?" the Doctor prompted. "It's yours if you want it. Can't cause any harm now. Besides," he added, turning a warm smile to Rose, "you earned it. For saving Rose."

Rose returned his smile and took his hand, wrapping her arm around his. Lollia looked from them to the gleaming box on her palm, at a loss for words.

"Why, that's gold!" Lucius exclaimed.

"And diamonds," Rose told him. "Inside. I'll bet that'll help you pay off your debt to Marius, and Lollia's dowry too."

"Oh, no question," the Doctor asserted. "If you take my advice, you'll pay Marius off with the box and keep a few of those diamonds for yourself. Top quality, they are, pure as they come. They have to be to project a hard light hologram. You see, diamonds have the exceptionally high refractive index of 2.4175, which is perfect for— "

"Doctor," Rose interrupted pointedly, indicating the glazed look that had fallen over the eyes of Lollia and her father. "I think it's time we were going."

"Of course," he agreed. Taking Lucius's hand in a firm shake, he said, "Good luck, Lucius. And you too, Lollia. I wish you and Gaius all the best."

"Yeah, me too," Rose grinned, giving Lollia a warm hug. "Have a fantastic life, yeah?"

The Doctor looked at her, something indefinable flickering behind his eyes. As she released Lollia, he held out his hand, the peculiar glimmer fading into a broad grin when she took it with a squeeze.

"Come on, Rose, let's get going," he said, watching Lollia and Lucius head for the house. "It's a long walk back to the TARDIS."

_To Be Concluded…_

* * *

Hi. 

I know it's been a while since my last post, and that I was in a hurry to get this done and return to _The Nowhere Men _before I had to turn my attention to term papers. The hurry's kind of faded now, though. I wish I could blame it on a truly terrible migrane or the stress of overwork I really do. But it's so much worse. See, my Grandma died this week. We were really close and I still haven't fully processed it. It's not real yet, you know. She was 94, born the same year the _Titanic_ went down. She was tough and smart and sharp as a whole bag of tacks. The funeral's next week. We have to go to New York for the service. She was from Brooklyn, and now she'll be with my grandfather. It's what she wanted. It was pretty peaceful too. She just sort of faded away.

It's weird, though. I can't seem to cry. Not when I think of her. But it hurts when I think of how much I miss her already. It's like my tears are selfish or something. They'll only fall for me.

There's only a brief epilogue left for this story. I think I'll have it up soon. It helps to keep my mind occupied. Sorry for leaving you with that cliffhanger last time. I didn't mean to make it last so long.


	9. A Note of Thanks

Wow. When I got home and I saw your kind messages waiting for me, I was so deeply touched. You guys are so great. Just saying thank you doesn't seem like enough.

We arrived at Long Island in the afternoon. There was a light snow over the cemetary. It was somber and silent and so very still, and the flowers at the gravesite stood out against the whiteness with such intensity. My brother, sister and I got to meet our uncle and aunt for the first time at the ceremony. They live in California, and my uncle is some twelve years older than my dad. My dad gave a beautiful speech, and it was unprepared, which made it even more poignant. I almost cried then, and he did cry, but my tears still wouldn't fall. I just hugged his arm. It was all too surreal, sitting there in the snow while the priest read from a little booklet. The casket was blue, and it was so small.

When the priest had finished, we all shared stories about Grandma. How she loved watching _Columbo_ and _Quincy_. How she kept up with all the gossip at the nursing home, and told us every day what was new. Dozens of stories, some funny, some serious, many of which I'd never heard before. And before we knew it, instead of crying, we were smiling, warm with memories and feeling she really was at peace. She was loved, dearly loved, throughout her life. And she made it to 94. That's not a bad age. Not bad at all.

So thank you all for your condolences, and for sharing your own stories. I appreciate them so much. They've helped me more than I can say.

Thank you.

-Rowena Zahnrei


	10. Part VIII: Finis

Hi Everyone! I am so very sorry about the wait, but I've been firmly blocked on this story for the past couple of weeks and it was only this past weekend that I managed to finally _force_ that block to shift. Ow.

I want to thank you all again for your touching kindness after what happened. It's been tough trying to get back into the right mindset to finish this story. I couldn't do it at all last month. I just couldn't. But it's a new month now. And a new season. And it was Easter this Sunday, which is supposed to be a time of sun and smiles after sadness and snow, right? So, what I did is I revised, refreshed, and reposted the whole story in an attempt to shake off this awful, flat feeling. And it sort of worked kind of! I managed to finish the epilogue at last! It didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped, some of the flatness did transfer, I'm afraid, but it's still pretty fluffy, I think. I just hope you like it!

Oh, and I should have referenced this reference last time, but I didn't: "…I once tagged along with a space bus full of tourists that turned up in a Welsh holiday camp in 1959! The Shangri La, it was called. Near Llandrudnod Wells." The Doctor was referring here to "Delta and the Bannermen," an adventure from Season 24 in which the Seventh Doctor and his friend Mel had to help a Chimeron queen named Delta and her young daughter escape a gang of genocidal Bannermen.

And now, without further ado, here is the last and final chapter of _Lupercalia! _I'd intended it to be a brief epilogue, but it insisted on growing so it is now officially a chapter instead. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you all again for everything! You are the best! THE_ BEST!_

* * *

**PART VIII: FINIS **

Rose was smiling, strolling hand and hand with the Doctor while her eyes roved around the dimly moonlit landscape. They were finally returning to the TARDIS following a rather venturesome detour into the city itself, and Rose was looking forward to curling up under her warm duvet for some much needed sleep. For the moment, though, she was content simply to enjoy the quiet and the company of the long walk back as she allowed her mind to backtrack over the past few hours.

After leaving Lollia and Lucius, Rose had thought it would be fun to stop at an inn for supper, to sample the ancient nightlife and try the local cuisine. The Doctor had seemed uncharactistically wary about her request, but Rose kept looking at him with those _eyes_, pleading and teasing and knowing all at the same time, until finally he sighed, no longer able to keep up the reluctant front. To be truthful, it had been halfhearted to begin with.

"All right," he'd said, taking her hand with a pointedly reproving squeeze, like he was granting her some huge favor by turning around. "Back to the city we go, then. I think I still have a handful of sesterces tucked away from the last time I was here. Wonder if they still accept coins stamped with Nero's head…"

Rose tilted her head curiously. "Nero?"

"Yeah," the Doctor confirmed, looking oddly uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Just so happens, Nero was emperor back then." He made a face. "Horrible man. Thick as they come."

"So, you met him, then," Rose said with interest. "Was he really as mad as people say?"

"Well…" the Doctor considered. "I wouldn't exactly say _mad._ At least, not mad in the same sense as his uncle Caligula was mad. But, oh, was he thick. A thick, foppity spoiled fop, as flamboyant as he was cruel. We were lucky to escape with our lives."

Rose frowned slightly at his use of the word 'we,' but knew better than to press him for more. Instead, she settled for a joke, hoping that, if she kept things light, he might just open up on his own.

"That's not so unusual," she smirked. "What'd he do, throw you to the lions?"

The deeply significant look he shot her seemed enough to answer her question, and more. Rose raised her eyebrows.

"What, seriously? He threw you to the lions?"

"Wasn't _that_ bad," the Doctor said with an ambiguous sniff. "_I_ was brilliant, of course. One of my best showings, if I do say so myself. Rose, you've never heard me play the lyre, have you?"

Rose shook her head. "No."

"No." The Doctor grinned his most enigmatic grin, his impish eyes glinting with private laughter. "And neither has anyone else" (1).

Rose had waited for a moment, half-expecting him to be more forthcoming, but unfortunately for her curiosity, that seemed to be the end of it. Affecting a rather smug swagger, the Doctor had strode on ahead with his hands in his trouser pockets and a distinctively puckish expression on his face. Annoyed, and a little confused, Rose had charged after him—only to stop short when she realized she'd been so wrapped up in the Doctor's story, she hadn't noticed they had already reached their destination.

The inn wasn't very big, and it wasn't very brightly lit, but she'd been able to hear the rumble of voices and laughter from the inside, and the succulent scent of roasted lamb made her empty stomach growl. Apparently, the growl had been loud enough for the Doctor to hear, because he'd offered her a wink along with his arm.

"Dame Rose," he'd smiled. "It'd be my pleasure to escort you to supper."

"I thought it would be further," she'd said, taking his arm willingly. "Did you know there was an inn this close?"

"Are you complaining?"

"No, but—"

"Good, I hate complaining. Goes right through my head, complaining. Not that I'm complaining, mind, but—"

"Doctor," Rose shot him an odd look. "Is there some reason we're still standin' here?"

"Ah, yes…" The Doctor looked distinctly edgy. Rose frowned, waiting for him to continue.

"Now Rose, I want you to listen," he said. "I understand you're a tough, independent Twenty-First Century Girl, and that you're more than capable of handling yourself in a crowd of rowdy blokes and, no offense, but if your mother's any indication of how hard a Tyler can slap, it's them in there I should be warning right now and not you, but the point is, Rose, that we're a long way from the twenty-first century and I just—"

Rose was tempted to laugh at the awkward way he was stumbling over his words. "Don't worry, Doctor," she interrupted him. "I'll be careful."

"Yes, but I mean it, Rose," he insisted, clearly anxious. "Women in the ancient world were regarded as the charges of the men in their families—their fathers or…or their husbands. If we go in there, we have to make it very clear to all those drunken holiday makers that you are in my charge. Because frankly, Rose, no matter how quiet we try to be, you are going to get noticed."

"Aw, Doctor," Rose smiled, leaning against his arm. "Is that a compliment?"

The Doctor glanced down at her, his eyes lingering on her dyed hair, then moving to her brightly colored anachronistic clothing, and finally resting on his too-big coat, which she'd draped around her shoulders like a cape, before deciding how to phrase his answer.

"Yes," he said. "Yes it is. So, we're agreed, then?"

"Agreed on what?"

"That for as long as we're in there, we'll let them all believe that we're…you know… Like Lucius thought we were…"

"What? Married?"

"That's the one," the Doctor nodded brusquely, opening the rough wooden door then turning back to hold his arm out once again.

"Coming, wife?"

"Well, when you put it like that," Rose smirked, taking his arm and following him inside the warm, stuffy, crowded room. "You do have enough money to _pay_ for supper, right, husband?"

"You tell me," the Doctor smirked back. "You're the one with the pockets!"

It had turned out, much to Rose's consternation, that the Doctor had been right to worry. Normally, Rose was far from shy when it came to handling herself in a bar or club, but this was different, and it certainly didn't help matters that, despite the Pope's ban, many of the traditional Lupercal practices were still very much alive in the minds of those coarse, hard-drinking men. The Doctor'd had to come to her rescue more than once during their meal—which had actually been surprisingly delicious. Crusty grain bread and roasted lamb sautéed with cumin, red wine, and rosemary. Ultimately, though, despite the meal's quality and the fervent apologies of the overworked innkeeper, the only way to get Rose safely back out the door had been to resort to what the Doctor had termed as 'desperate measures.' In other words—and Rose was still tempted to snicker at the memory—he had distracted the attention of those loud, drunken Romans by putting on a rather unusual and surprisingly impressive performance.

"Rose," he'd said, standing protectively in front of her with his sharp eyes fixed on the leering, rowdy men. "Hand me those spoons."

"You what?"

"The spoons," he repeated, holding out an impatient hand. "The ones that should be in the left pocket of that coat you're wearing."

Rose dug into the coat pocket and thrust the spoons into his waiting hands. "Here," she said. "But what are you plannin' to do with those? Bend 'em with your mind, like in _The Matrix_?"

The Doctor paused in polishing the utensils on his sleeve, looking startled. "What do you know about the Matrix—oh! You mean that film!" He shook his head with a slight roll of his eyes, his expression dry. "Not hardly," he said. "Now, Rose, prepare to be amazed!"

"By a pair of spoons."

"No." The Doctor shot her a look. "By me playing the spoons."

Rose nearly choked. "What? No way. Seriously? You play the spoons!"

"Why is that always so shocking?" the Doctor asked. "I'll have you know it takes a lot of skill to play the spoons. It's not just any old lump who can do it. Your hand-eye coordination has to be ace—that is," he swallowed slightly, his brief hesitation barely noticiable, "spot on. In fact, my last incarnation was completely useless at it and, as we both know, he was a genius."

"And what about this incarnation?" Rose asked, crossing her arms. "Are you any good?"

The Doctor grinned his broadest grin. "We're about to find out."

The Doctor had then proceeded to step forward, raising his arms for silence. Failing to acquire it, he'd then raised his voice for silence, which'd had only a marginally better effect. The moment he'd started playing, however, the heads began to turn, and soon the whole rowdy crowd was cheering him on—Rose included.

Rose had never seen a person play the spoons before. It may just have been the Doctor's flamboyant style, but it had actually seemed quite a complex, and even athletic, endeavor. He'd rattled the spoons off his knees, his thighs, his elbows, his heels, the back of his neck, assorted chairs and tables, and the heads of various startled customers. He'd rattled them off one finger at a time, then switched hands to do it again. He'd tossed the spoons in the air and caught them behind his back, always in perfect time with his percussion rhythm.

It was only after he'd taken his bows to thunderous applause that the drawback to his plan had become apparent. It seemed his little show had disracted their attention too well, and the boisterous crowd had become more reluctant then ever to let them go. He and Rose were completely blocked from edging out the door—until a man burst in filled with news about the monster that crashed Marius's party and the mysterious couple that had transformed it into a harmless wolf before disappearing themselves.

"Did anyone actually see those two strangers?" the innkeeper had asked, looking rather skeptical.

"Ol' Lucius," the newcomer had nodded, "and his daughter, Lollia. They even had proof—a golden box given to them by the gods themselves."

"Oh, come on," the Doctor had scoffed, "you don't really think those two strangers were gods, do you? Not in this day and age. Far more likely they were just a couple of travelers, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, I wouldn't know," the man had replied, too involved in his second cup of wine to care much. "But I'll tell you this. Marius has announced his son Gaius is to marry young Lollia Valeria at the end of the month. If that's not a sign of divine intervention, I don't know what is!"

"More a sign of Marius's sense of opportunism," the Doctor had muttered to Rose, taking advantage of the crowd's laughter to make a swift escape out the door. The bitter nighttime wind had been a bit of a shock after the stifling warmth of the inn, but Rose, still bundled in the Doctor's coat, was determined not to comment. Instead, she'd asked, "What d'you mean, opportunism?"

"Well," the Doctor had explained, sniffing sharply as he'd buried his hands in his suit's pockets. "Think about it. That party was a shambles when we got there. And I'd wager there were some pretty important guests huddled in with that lot we saw cringing in the torchlight—people ol' Marius would hate to offend. He needed a miracle if his reputation was to be saved—a miracle we were kind enough to provide," he smiled. "Lucius, bein' a businessman, understood that, and he must have used it to convince Marius it was in his best interest to accept his payment and make up their differences. His choice was pretty simple, after all: either latch onto Lucius's tale and gain a lovely gold box and an even lovelier daughter-in-law in the bargain, or else be snubbed as bad luck for the rest of his days."

Rose nodded reflectively. "So, basically, what you're sayin' is that spinnin' our story was his one ticket back into favor. An' if what we saw back at that inn was any example of how fast rumors get around," she grinned, "he'll be the stuff of legend in no time."

The Doctor grinned back. "Never underestimate the power of superstition, Rose," he advised. "It lingers on way beyond conventional rationality: the enduring threads that link the mentality of the present with the faded civilizations of the past."

"Yeah," Rose nodded with a playful smirk. "I was just about to say that."

The Doctor laughed, reaching out to grab her hand. "I'll bet you were."

The conversation had shifted after that, becoming lighter and a little bit silly. They'd kept each other laughing for miles, gradually fading to a comfortable, companionable silence as the night wore on. Now, however, the TARDIS was finally in sight, sticking out against the distant stars like an oddly anachronistic thumb surrounded by the fluffy backs of dozing sheep.

"It's so weird," Rose said, breaking the silence with a slight shake of her head. The Doctor glanced down at her.

"What is?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I was jus' thinkin,'" she said. "It was jus' one act of littering. Jus' one careless act. I mean, I've littered. I'm not sayin' I'm proud of it, but it's like, sometimes you jus' can't be bothered to find a bin, you know? That alien, whoever it was, probably didn't think twice when he tossed that faulty holo-box thing away. But it set off all this stuff, everything that's happened—that monster, Lollia and Gaius finally gettin' together…"

"Yep," the Doctor nodded, his lips slightly pursed. "Causality is strange that way. My people used to have a whole department devoted to clearin' up this kind of mess. They'd put up signs, send out temporal clean-up crews…"

"Sorta like an intergalactic parks service?" Rose observed. The Doctor tilted his head, considering.

"Sorta like," he allowed. "The agents put up signs on all the big tourist spots: the Taj Mahal, the Forbidden City in Beijing, Mount Rushmore… You can still see them, if you have a standard translator."

"'Take only pictures and leave only footprints,'" Rose quipped.

"Not a bad motto," the Doctor smiled. "After all, in a life like ours, it's pretty much impossible to get by without leavin' a few footprints along the way. And hand prints. A few scorch marks..."

Rose smirked. "Good thing, too," she pointed out. "If we followed a completely no-touch policy, that poor wolf would still be sufferin'. Not to mention Lollia and Gaius. An' then there's those people who lost their faces to the Wire, an' all those ill people from that hospital on New Earth…"

"You're right of course," the Doctor nodded. "'S just too bad the Time Lords never saw it that way…"

By this time, they'd reached the TARDIS. The Doctor began patting his suit pockets in search of his key, but then paused as if struck by a sudden thought, turning to look Rose in the eye.

"Rose?"

"Yeah, Doctor?"

"I, um… I just remembered that...well..." He pulled at his nose nervously, then sighed, seeming to deflate somewhat as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. "I think my key is in my coat," he finished lamely.

"Huh? Oh…" Rose dug her hands into the coat's deep pockets once again—only to blanch at a sudden realization.

"Oh no."

The Doctor, still seeming oddly uncomfortable, frowned slightly at her worried tone. "What's wrong?"

Rose gave an awkward little laugh. "Well, you know how we were jus' talkin' about littering and that…"

"Yeeess?" the Doctor drawled.

Rose cleared her throat, then came right out and said it. "I think I left your dog whistle and yo-yo back at Marius's place."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Rose winced. "Yeah, I remember…I never picked them up after the monster attacked. I'm so sorry," she said.

"No, Rose, it's—" the Doctor tried to interrupt, but Rose didn't seem to hear him.

"But we could go get them in the TARDIS, right?" she asked. "I mean, we can't just leave them there, not after all this. What would happen if someone found them?"

"Rose, I don't think—"

"Or even if they didn't!" she plowed on. "If they stayed there for, like, two thousand years and some archaeologist dug them up! They might start thinkin' the Romans used dog whistles when herdin' sheep or somethin' an' then—"

"Rose!" the Doctor said again, his dark eyes brimming with amused affection as he struggled not to laugh. She looked up at him, anxiously biting her lip, and the Doctor's expression melted into a smile.

"Don't worry so much," he said, pulling the items from his inside jacket pocket and holding them up in front of her. "Here, look. You don't honestly think I'd leave a pair of such obviously out of place objects just lying around the ancient world, do you? I may be impulsive, but I'm not irresponsible. Besides," he added, "they've been with me a long time. I'd hate to lose them now."

Rose frowned. "But when…?"

"Scooped 'em up when I was tending that wolf. See?" He tucked them back into his jacket. "No harm done. Now…"

A look of firm determination crossed his face and he took her gently by the arms. Rose glanced at his hands, then at his face, clearly confused.

"Doctor, what are you—?"

"Just wait," he said, counting down softly to himself. "And three…two…"

Taking in a fortifying breath, the Doctor ducked his head and captured her lips in a light, but tender kiss. He drew back almost immediately, looking slightly bashful, but Rose was all but speechless.

"Wha…?" She blinked. "What was that for?"

The Doctor grinned. "It's midnight!" he explained. "Now exactly twelve seconds past the hour."

"Twelve seconds…?"

"That's right," he said. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

His eyes glittered at the dawning look of realization on her face. "Haven't you ever wondered, Rose," he asked with a rather cheeky smile, "who got the first official Valentine's Day kiss?"

"You mean…" She gave a startled laugh, then rushed to enfold him in a warm embrace, kissing his cheek once, then twice. "Doctor!" she said chidingly over his shoulder. "You could have given me some warnin' you know."

"And spoil the surprise?" the Doctor scoffed, giving her a hearty squeeze before letting her go. "Nah. This way's much more fun. Now, the key, if you please?"

"Right," she said, handing it to him. With a swift, practiced movement, he unlocked the TARDIS door and pushed it open, reaching back to take her by the hand.

"Well, Rose," he said. "Where do you want to go next? We could go back to the original plan: Powell Estate, 2006. Or…" he added quickly, seeing her hesitant look, "in keeping with our present theme of ancient firsts, we could go to Greece—see the first ever Olympics. No, no, on second thought, the first Olympics wasn't all that impressive. Wait, I know! I could take you on a hop to your future; see the games played out in London! Summer, 2012, whaddya say?"

"Summer, eh?" Rose smiled. "I'll take summer over this wind! I'm so cold, I can't even see my breath anymore."

"Summer it is, then!" the Doctor grinned, pulling her after him as they dashed up the ramp to the humming console. "2012, here we come!"

**The End**

* * *

(1) Reference to the Season Two episode "The Romans," featuring the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, and its own tongue-in-cheek reference to _The Emperor's New Clothes_ by Hans Christian Anderson. 


End file.
